Last Updated on March 3, 2024
Who is Wendy Williams?
Wendy Williams is a renowned American broadcaster, media personality, writer, comedian, actress, and businesswoman. Although her most notable works are in television, Wendy began her career as a radio DJ, where she gained much traction for her controversial commentaries and constant squabbles with celebrities.
After working in a series of radio stations, Wendy decided to quit radio hosting to give more attention to her talk show, “The Wendy Williams’ Show.” The talk show was a huge success, attracting 2.4 million viewers daily.
Aside from radio and television hosting, Williams has dabbled in other lucrative projects in the entertainment industry. She makes appearances in film series and hosts her own comedy shows. The business-savvy entertainer also launched her fashion line and jewelry collection.
In addition, she has authored some best-selling books, including “Ask Wendy,” “Drama is Her Middle Name,” and “Hold Me in Contempt.”
In 2009, Wendy was inducted into the “National Radio Hall of Fame.” On her 50th birthday, she was made an eponym of the street she grew up in, in honor of her cultural impact and exceptional work in media and television.
Quick Facts
Full Name: | Wendy Joan Williams |
Popular Name: | Wendy Williams |
Gender: | Female |
Birth Date: | July 18, 1964 |
Age: | 58 years |
Parents: | Thomas Dywane Williams Sr, Shirley Williams |
Siblings: | Wanda Williams, Thomas Williams Jr. |
Birth Place: | Asbury Park, New Jersey |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | African-American |
Education: | Ocean Township High School, Northeastern University |
Marital Status: | Single |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Wife/Spouse: | N/A |
Children: | Kevin Hunter Jr. |
Dating: | N/A |
Net Worth: | $40 million |
Source of Wealth: | Television Hosting, Entertainment |
Height: | 5ft10 (1.78m) |
Weight: | 54kg (113lbs) |
Early Life and Career Information
Wendy Joan Williams, popularly known as “Wendy,” is the second of the three children of a special education teacher, Shirley Williams, and a school principal, Thomas Williams. The family resided in Asbury Park, New Jersey, until 1970, when they relocated to an area in the suburb of Wayside due to the race riots.
As a child, Williams had severe ADHD. On top of that, she had low self-esteem and a poor body image which stemmed from the diets her parents placed her on to curb her weight gain.
Academically, Williams didn’t excel very much. She attended Ocean Township High School and graduated 360th position out of 363 students. The all-around entertainer also admitted that she didn’t quite get along with her black classmates during this period of her life and found community in the company of white friends instead.
At some point in her childhood, Williams volunteered as a candy striper. She also served as a Brownie in the Girl Scouts, which made her parents believe she would become a nurse. Well, Wendy Williams has other plans for her future.
In 1983, Williams enrolled at Northeastern University, where she initially planned to study Televisions communications. She quickly realized that her chosen course might slow down her career and switched to radio.
Wendy landed her first radio gig as a disc jockey for 104.9 FM, her college’s radio station. After graduating college in 1986, she worked at two small radio stations but left both due to low pay and mediocre work experience.
Wendy’s first long-term job in radio was at Hot 97 FM. She was fired after two years and began working overnight shifts at HD Radio until she was offered a position at 105.9 FM. There, Williams gained notoriety for gossiping about celebrities. She was so mouthy that she got mailed bullets and dead fish.
In 2008, Williams was offered a six-week television trial of her own talk show. In the summer of the same year, Wendy debuted her talk show in four cities. By 2009, after spending over two decades in radio, Wendy decided to focus only on her talk show, which was now being syndicated nationally.
Williams has also done some work in music. In June 2005, she collaborated with Virgin Records to put out a compilation album, “Wendy Brings The Heat: Volume 1.” Artists such as M.O.P., Jadakiss, and Young Jeezy were featured. As mentioned earlier, Wendy has acted in a series of movies, including “Think Like a Man,” “The Cookout,” and “The Women’s List.”
There may be polarizing views on Wendy’s approach to her job, but there’s no doubt that she’s excellent at it. She won the “Urban Personality of the Year” two times in a row, and her talk show has been described as a “breakthrough in daytime” by the New York Times.
Wendy Williams’ Net Worth
Wendy Williams has amassed a whopping $40 million as her net worth. The bulk of her earnings come from her talk show, from which she secures about $10 million in annual returns. In addition, her compilation album and comedy tours were hugely successful.
The album sold about 29000 copies in the same year it was released. In 2014, Williams participated in an all-female-based comedy that achieved wide critical acclaim.
Williams has ventured into other business deals, such as writing fiction and non-fiction books. Her fashion lines and multiple brand endorsements also ramp her net worth.
Life Lessons From The Life of Wendy Williams
Consistency is Key
People assume that Wendy’s loudmouthedness and garrulous nature are what got her the recognition she has today. While this is partly true, most of Wendy’s success is attributed to her excellent work ethic.
Since its inception, Williams had not missed an episode of her talk show until 2018, when she took a break due to medical reasons. That type of consistency is remarkable.
Today, “The Wendy Williams Show” is a world-class talk show, second only to “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
There’s Power in Vulnerability
Another quality that draws people to Williams is her openness and vulnerability. After being fired from Hot 97 in 1988, Wendy got a job at Philadelphian Urban Station, 98.9 FM.
At 98.9 FM, the talk show host and broadcaster was candid about her personal life, addressing her breast enhancement surgery, her former cocaine addiction, and her struggles with childbirth.